ICON PLC

See also: Icon (disambiguation)

ICON plc

Company type	Public
Traded as	Nasdaq:  ICLR
Industry	Contract research organization Pharmaceutical Medical device Life sciences Consulting
Founded	1990;35 years ago (1990) in Dublin, Ireland
Founders	John Climax Ronan Lambe
Headquarters	Dublin , Ireland
Key people	Steve Cutler (CEO) Nigel Clerkin (CFO) Barry Balfe (COO)
Products	Services for pharmaceutical, biotech and medical device industries
Revenue	US$8.28 billion (2024)
Net income	US$705.05 million (2024)
Total assets	US$16.88 billion (2024)
Number of employees	41,900 (2024)
Website	www.iconplc.com

ICON plc is an Irish headquartered multinational healthcare intelligence and clinical research organisation that provides consulting, clinical development and commercialisation services for the pharmaceutical industry. ^[1] The company is listed on the Nasdaq stock exchange in the United States, and As of February 2025 ^[update] had approximately 41,900 employees in 106 locations spread across 55 countries. ^[2]

History

ICON was founded in Dublin, Ireland, by John Climax and Ronan Lambe in 1990. ^[3] Since January 2010, Climax has held a position on the board of directors. Lambe retired from the board of directors in 2018. ^[4]

Between 1991 and 1996, ICON opened offices in the United Kingdom, United States, Germany, and Japan. ^[5] Two years later, ICON shares started to be traded on Nasdaq. ^[6]

In 2013, PRA Health Sciences was acquired by KKR, which listed the company on the Nasdaq in November 2014 and maintained shares until September 2019. ^[7] In August 2017, the company acquired Conshohocken-based real-world healthcare data, analytics, and technology solutions company Symphony Health for US$530 million. ^[8] PRA's 2018 revenue was US$2.87 billion. ^[9] PRA was acquired by ICON on 1 July 2021. ^[10]

In March 2017, Steve Cutler was appointed Chief Executive Officer of ICON. ^[11] He had previously been with Quintiles South Africa, Sandoz AG, and Kendle Intl Inc, before joining ICON Clinical Research Services in 2011, and becoming Chief Operating Officer in 2014. ^[12]

In 2018, ICON won PharmaTimes Clinical Researcher of the Year. ^[13] ICON enjoyed success in multiple categories at the Clinical Research Organisation leadership awards, ^[14] consecutively from 2018 - 2023, determined by Life Science Leader magazine and Industry Standard Research (ISR). In 2021, ICON was awarded PharmaTimes Clinical Research Company of the Year, ^[15] and in 2022, won Best Contract Research Organisation (FSP) ^[16] at the Scrip Awards.

Acquisitions

• 2000: ICON acquired UK-based regulatory consultancy, YRCR Ltd.; Central Laboratory in New York; and bioanalytical consultancy, Pacific Research ^{[17] [18] [19]}
• 2002: ICON acquired clinical research provider, BPA. ^[20]
• 2003: ICON acquired Medeval, a UK-based Phase I facility, and US consulting firm, Globomax ^{[21] [22]}
• 2004: ICON acquired medical imaging specialist, Beacon Bioscience Inc. ^[23]
• 2006: ICON acquired outcomes research and health economics specialist, Ovation Research Group ^[24]
• 2007: ICON acquired European staffing group, DOCS International ^[25]
• 2008: ICON acquired US phase I provider, Healthcare Discoveries and US bioanalytical lab, Prevalere Life Sciences ^{[26] [27]}
• 2009: ICON acquired Veeda Laboratories, a UK biomarker lab ^[28]
• 2010: ICON acquired Timaq Medical Imaging Inc. ^[29]
• 2011: ICON acquired Oxford Outcomes, an international health outcomes consultancy and Firecrest Clinical, a technology provider specialising in site performance and study management ^{[30] [31]}
• 2012: ICON acquired PriceSpective, a global value strategy consultancy and Chinese CRO, BeijingWits ^{[32] [33]}
• 2013: ICON acquired staffing and FSP providers, ClinForce and Assent and Akos, an EU provider of pharmacovigilance and drug safety services ^{[34] [35]}
• 2014: ICON acquired Aptiv Solutions, a market leader in adaptive trial design and execution ^[36]
• 2015: ICON acquired MediMedia Pharma Solutions to enhance market access and scientific communications capabilities, and PMG Research Inc., an integrated network of clinical research sites in the US ^{[37] [38]}
• 2016: ICON acquired Clinical Research Management Inc., to extend its presence in the government-sponsored research market ^[39]
• 2017: ICON acquired MAPI Group, thereby becoming the world’s second-largest provider of late-phase services ^[40]
• 2019: ICON acquired Symphony Clinical Research, a leading provider of at-home patient services and site-support services; MediNova, an integrated network of clinical research sites across EMEA; and MolecularMD, to enhance its laboratory offerings in molecular diagnostic testing and immunohistochemistry ^{[41] [42] [43]}
• 2020: ICON acquired MedPass International, a leading European medical device CRO, regulatory and reimbursement consultancy ^[44]
• 2021: ICON acquired PRA Health Sciences, a competitor offering clinical research services, for USD 12 billion. Upon completion of the transaction, PRA shareholders will own approximately 34 percent of the shares of the combined company and ICON shareholders will own approximately 66 percent. ^{[45] [46]}

Finances

Year	Revenue (in thousands USD)	Net Income (in thousands USD)	Total Assets (in thousands USD)	Employees (k)
2020 [47]	2,797,288	332,964	3,435,606	15,730
2021 [48]	5,480,826	153,185	17,387,090	38,330
2022 [49]	7,741,386	505,304	17,185,278	41,100
2023 [50]	8,120,176	612,335	16,989,863	41,100
2024 [51]	8,281,676	705,051	16,877,678	41,900

See also

• List of companies of Ireland

References

1. "ICON to Acquire PRA Health Sciences, Creating a World Leader in Healthcare Intelligence and Clinical Research". www.businesswire.com. 2021-02-24. Retrieved 2021-07-01.
2. "Facts and Figures". ICON plc. Retrieved 21 April 2025.
3. "Icon founders poised to make $45m in share placing". Irish Times. 24 July 2003. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
4. "Board of Directors". Red Robin Gourmet Burgers, Inc. 2023. Retrieved 2023-11-01.
5. Langan, Sheila (1 October 2014). "ICON of Ireland". Irish America. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
6. "ICON plc : ICON Announces the Commencement of Direct Trading on NASDAQ". Market Screener. 5 February 2013. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
7. "PRA Health Sciences Announces Secondary Offering and Concurrent Share Repurchase". Globenewswire. September 3, 2019.
8. Liu, Angus (August 8, 2017). "PRA Health Sciences makes $530M Symphony buy, reports 16% revenue growth in Q2". FierceBiotech.
9. "Investors | ICON PLC".^{[ permanent dead link ]}
10. "ICON acquisition creates world-leading healthcare intelligence and clinical research organisation" (Press release). 1 July 2021.
11. "BRIEF-ICON says Steve Cutler to be named CEO". Reuters. 20 October 2016. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
12. "Profile Stephen A Cutler "Steve"". www.bloomberg.com. n.d. Retrieved 28 November 2021.
13. "Winner 2018". Pharma Times. December 2018. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
14. "ICON Wins Multiple Categories in 2019 CRO Leadership Awards". BusinessWire. 5 March 2019. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
15. "Clinical Researcher of the Year - The Americas 2021 winners announced". Pharma Times. October 2021. Retrieved 29 October 2021.
16. "Scrip Awards 2022 Winners have been Announced". Pharma Intelligence UK Limited. November 2022. Retrieved 30 November 2022.
17. "YRCR was acquired by Icon on February 3, 2000". Mergr. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
18. Barrington, Kathleen (10 June 2000). "Icon buys UCT for $2m cash plus $18m deferred payments". Independent. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
19. McGrath, Brendan (1 February 2000). "Icon buys US data group in first public acquisition". The Irish Times. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
20. "Form 20-F". Securities and Exchange Commission. United States Government. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
21. "Form 20-F". Securities and Exchange Commission. United States Government. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
22. "ICON Acquires GloboMax". Mergr. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
23. "Beacon Bioscience Acquired by ICON July 1, 2004". Crosstree Capital. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
24. "ICON Acquires Ovation Research Group". Mergr. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
25. Mansell, Peter (16 July 2007). "ICON acquires clinical research staffer DOCS International". Pharma Times. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
26. "ICON Acquires Healthcare Discoveries". Contract Pharma. 12 February 2008. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
27. MacDonald, Gareth (22 October 2009). "Icon boosts bioanalytical presence through Prevalere buy". Outsourcing Pharma. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
28. "ICON Acquires Veeda Laboratories Ltd". Biospace. 8 December 2008. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
29. Rhea, Shawn (24 May 2010). "Icon acquires Timaq Medical Imaging". Modern Healthcare. Retrieved 10 December 2019.
30. Mansell, Peter (18 January 2011). "ICON broadens late-phase expertise with Oxford Outcomes acquisition". PharmaTimes. Retrieved 10 December 2019.
31. Lynch, Suzanne (15 July 2011). "Pharmaceutical firm Icon buys Firecrest Clinical for undisclosed sum". The Irish Times. Retrieved 10 December 2019.
32. "ICON-PLC Acquires PriceSpective". Biospace. 28 February 2012. Retrieved 10 December 2019.
33. "ICON Acquires BeijingWits Medical Consulting Ltd". BioSpace. 12 December 2011. Retrieved 10 December 2019.
34. "DOCS Acquires ClinForce and Assent Consulting". DOCS Global. DOCS. Retrieved 10 December 2019.
35. Mansell, Peter (5 February 2013). "Icon to acquire Cross Country's Clinical Trial Services Division". PharmaTimes. Retrieved 10 December 2019.
36. Mansell, Peter (1 April 2014). "ICON to acquire Aptiv Solutions for US$143.5 million". PharmaTimes. Retrieved 10 December 2019.
37. "ICON Completes Acquisition Of MediMedia Pharma Solutions". BioSpace. 2 March 2015. Retrieved 10 December 2019.
38. "ICON Acquires PMG Research". Contract Pharma. 7 December 2015. Retrieved 10 December 2019.
39. "ICON Completes the Acquisition of Clinical Research Management, Inc". BusinessWire. 19 September 2016. Retrieved 10 December 2019.
40. "ICON Acquires Mapi Group". Health Economics. Archived from the original on 11 December 2019. Retrieved 10 December 2019.
41. "Symphony Clinical Research Acquired by ICON". Symphony Clinical Research. Retrieved 10 December 2019.
42. "ICON's Acquisition of MeDiNova Research". Bloomberg. 23 May 2019. Retrieved 10 December 2019.
43. Pennic, Fred (21 February 2019). "ICON Acquires Precision Medicine for Oncology Company MolecularMD". HIT Consultant. Retrieved 10 December 2019.
44. "ICON Acquires MedPass International". Bloomberg. Retrieved 19 February 2020.
45. "ICON to Acquire PRA Health Sciences, Creating a World Leader in Healthcare Intelligence and Clinical Research". www.businesswire.com. 2021-02-24. Retrieved 2021-07-01.
46. Parsons, Lucy (2021-02-26). "ICON to acquire PRA Health Sciences in $12bn deal". PharmaTimes. Retrieved 2021-10-19.
47. "ICON plc Annual Form 20-F Report 2020". U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. 24 February 2021. Retrieved 21 April 2025.
48. "ICON plc Annual Form 20-F Report 2021". U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. 1 March 2022. Retrieved 21 April 2025.
49. "ICON plc Annual Form 20-F Report 2022". U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. 24 February 2023. Retrieved 21 April 2025.
50. "ICON plc Annual Form 20-F Report 2023". U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. 23 February 2024. Retrieved 21 April 2025.
51. "ICON plc Annual Form 20-F Report 2024". U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. 21 February 2025. Retrieved 21 April 2025.

External links

• Official website
• Business data for ICON PLC:
  • Google
  • SEC filings
  • Yahoo!